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Bring your own bag

Local residents who plan to shop at the new Safeway on San Antonio Road or any other market in Mountain View should prepare to bring reusable bags – the city’s plastic bag ban is now in effect.

In a symbolic move, the Mountain View City Council approved the ban effective Earth Day, April 22.

The ban applies to most retail stores, with exceptions for plastic bags used for perishables. Paper bags at markets will now cost customers 10 cents apiece.

San Antonio Phase 2 discussed

The council April 16 discussed plans and requirements for Phase 2 construction at The Village at San Antonio Center. The study session, which required no approvals from the council, focused on concerns about the project’s density and setbacks from streets.

The mixed-use redevelopment project from Merlone Geier Partners of San Francisco includes 100,000 square feet of commercial, retail and restaurant space; 377,000 square feet of office space; an eight-screen, 53,000-square-foot cinema complex; and a 165-room hotel.

Phase 2 encompasses 9.9 acres adjacent to the newly created Hetch Hetchy Park. The site is bordered by San Antonio Road and El Camino Real.

Although some nearby residents worried about the prospect of four buildings standing between four and six stories tall, the developer noted that the project design met the city’s general plan requirements.

Councilmembers did not address residents’ greatest concern – traffic impact – at the study session, but the council and staff agreed to discuss the matter later in the process.

Target expansion among ‘gateway’ bids

The council last week approved city staff resources for the study of three “gateway” requests from three separate developers. Applicants looking to build projects that require rezoning are subject to the gateway process.

Target officials have proposed demolishing their current building at 555 Showers Drive and replacing it with a larger store at the same location.

According to a city staff report, the proposed new store would occupy 163,000 square feet, replacing the current 119,000-square-foot building.

The project would bring the building closer to the street, with a separate 8,100-square-foot retail tenant space and outdoor plaza along the street frontage, according to staff.

A second request deals with a mixed-use retail and apartment project on 2.3 acres at the corner of El Camino Real and Castro Street.

A third development the council agreed to consider involves rezoning to accommodate new high-density housing on 1.4 acres at 827 Rengstorff Ave.

Councilmembers directed city staff to begin research on the proposals, beginning in July with Target.